


One Time I Could

by impossiblesongs



Category: Doctor Who
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-12-28
Updated: 2014-05-06
Packaged: 2018-01-06 11:36:51
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 4,114
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1106358
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/impossiblesongs/pseuds/impossiblesongs
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p><i>Because they were family. </i> How River, Amy AND Rory learned the Doctor’s name.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Mad, Impossible Ponds

**Author's Note:**

> Disclaimer: Not my characters. This has been a disclaimer.  
> AN: So this is just... some fun.

 

* * *

 

 

_“There’s only one reason I would ever tell anyone my name. There’s only one time I could.”_

 

-          The Doctor (s4e09 ‘Forest Of The Dead’)

 

 

* * *

 

 

  
_**Mad, Impossible Ponds**_  

 

The Doctor has a name and as his wife it should have only been River’s to know but it didn’t work out that way. He knows it’s unwise to share such information and that so much can go wrong because secrets, his secrets, bring with them danger and consequence but over time he came to find that River wasn’t the only one who could handle such knowledge. Amy and Rory were more than capable, they were more than trusted and they more than deserved to know. Because they were family.

 

River was the first Pond he told of course. She was his wife. It was literally a free pass. It happened fairly early in their marriage. Well early in a sense, considering how their marriage worked and all. A huge part of him thinks perhaps he should have guarded himself for a bit longer since she had been so young back then, so confused still, but he’d already trusted her completely at that point and there was no going back. Not for him. He’d actually been tempted to tell her even before he’d married her, before Berlin. The night the Ponds got married was the tipping point. So many hints he’d been given and so much hope had filled him up when it came to River that he’d almost disregarded everything he’d yet to know and was readying to give a go playing at chance. He’d confessedthat to Amy on one of his anniversaries. Big mistake, the ginge never let him live down.

 

It was on one of their proper dates as man and wife that he told River Song his name. She’d not brought it up yet he knew her and she was itching to know. At first he’d assumed that’s why she’d always make him wait for her to finish with her archeology studies before they went off on an adventure. She’d be finishing up a paper or dusting off some artifact while he’d be bouncing off the walls with boredom. (It wasn’t. Turns out her love for archeology nearly rivals her love for him.)


	2. River

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> River learns the Doctor's name.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> AN: I wanted to play around with the idea of a Young River in University and a Doctor completely enamored with her but pining for his older wife too. Both at the same time. Yes. Because wibbly-wobbly. Then I just wanted to add a little explosion of all sorts of adorable onto the world and so this is what happened.

**_River_ **

 

 

River had her back to him while she searched the shelves of the Luna University library, fingertips gently brushing over every book as she read each title. She’s got a paper due and it’s the first paper of actual importance, or so she says.

 

“Honestly, River!” He had argued, “Time machine! We could be back two Thursday’s ago!”

 

“Sweetie, not all of us have time at our fingertips.” River reminded, “Besides, I start running now who knows when I’ll stop.”

 

And he’d tapped her nose with the tip of his finger, “Now you’re getting it!”

 

He’d spun them both in the direction of the Tardis only for River to pull him right back the other way by his bowtie. And now here he is. Slumped on a very uncomfortable wooden chair, his wife ignoring him while she looks for information in text books that were probably founded with complete inaccuracy.

 

The urge to grab hold of her hand and make a run for it is one he’s had to shove down relentlessly only because he’s knowing of how unappreciated it would be. Not this early on in their lives anyway. She’s rather serious about the whole archeology bit in a way he’d not expected her to be.

 

“River _rrr_.” The Doctor hoisted himself up from the chair and walked over to his wife. She had a few books resting in her arms already, “You said this would only take a few minutes, it’s been ages!”

 

“Here.” She passed the unread volumes in hand over to him. “Set these in my room and stop your whining. I just need one more.”

 

She then proceeded to shove him out of her way gently and got on with her search. The Doctor could only grumble the entire way back to his Tardis. With his hands full he’d not been sure how he would open the Tardis doors but the Old Girl opened her doors to him almost automatically. To say his beloved Tardis favored anything at all pertaining to River would be an understatement.

 

He made his way through the Tardis walls somewhat clumsily, his no-good limbs trying to trip him up every step or two he made. It’s when he steps foot in their room that he remembers River said she’d wanted him to take the books to _her_ room.

 

That’s another thing that’s been keeping him antsy. _Her_ room. It’s so silly! They have a room, he and River. A room they share as husbands and wives do, or should do. But no, River insisted she have her own for the time being. It’s all sorts of annoying because he doesn’t sleep often and when he does he’s become so accustomed to her body lying beside him that he literally can’t get to sleep if she’s not there. 

 

He lets the books fall down on their bed, no longer in the mood to do anything other than sit and sulk. Officially, that is, because he’s come so far and she’s only just beginning. She’s right at the start, his River. She’s there, yes, but he can’t help miss her anyway.

 

“You never did make this bedroom for one, did you, Old Girl?” He poses to the empty room. The Tardis only hums a bit louder than usual. No doubt a scolding in hopes to stop his sulking and rattle some excitement back into his old bones. She only half-manages it. It’s enough to make him start moving again. He decides to busy himself working beneath the Tardis console. That’ll help get his mind off missing River for a bit. She’s true to her word though, about not taking much longer. She’s already leaning against the console by the time he gets there.

 

“Find the book you were looking for?” He asks.

 

“Very nearly.” River answers, “I might need to get a little closer to my subject. Would you mind doing the honors?”

 

“River Song,” The Doctor smiles, “Thought you’d never ask.”

 

He pulls on a lever and the Tardis comes to life.

 

“What’s the subject?”

 

River’s smile falters. “You were carrying my books, sweetie. If I know you at all you’ve already gone through them and picked out at least twenty different details wrong with them.”

 

“Must have slipped my mind.” The Doctor replies.

 

“Doctor, are you alright?”

 

He sees the worry there. It’s followed by insecurity. That’s definitely something else he’s not used to when it comes to River Song.

 

“You know I can’t tell you everything, River.” He spots the annoyance on her brow the second it appears. “Some things, foreknowledge for instance, are very dangerous. In our case especially.”

 

“I believe you rather use the word spoilers.” River says, her voice less than amused. He would laugh at the irony but he doesn’t want a slap, not now. Not when he’s about to do this massive sized leap of faith type of thing.

 

“There are things in my life I’m forbidden to speak of to anyone and that’s just something that can’t ever change.”

 

“I understand, Doctor. Really, I do.”

 

She’s getting better at lying, he notes. She hardly swallows at the lump that gets stuck in her throat. Years of being married to her had taught him that was a sign of a lying River. She’s done it less since Berlin and even less since their wedding. Older versions of her do slip up more than younger ones, he supposes it’s the seeing less and less of him that shakes her resolve so easily.

 

“Good.” He says, “I’m glad you understand. I can only hope you’ll appreciate it all the more then.”

 

River stares at him, confusion written all over her face. Her youth leaves her incapable of hiding everything she’d like though he can tell she really tries to. He’s grateful for the opportunity to see her expressions unmasked, they help him catch on to what she’s feeling much quicker. Of course, that means he can also tell just exactly when he’s managed to hurt her. Regretfully, it happens more than it should. 

 

“River.” Her name falls from his lips with such weighted affection, as if her name alone is tethered to his ability to breathe easier. And who’s he kidding? It is.

 

He leans in and whispers in her ear. He doesn’t pull back immediately, instead he lingers. His face pressing into her neck for a few moments, taking advantage of the closeness while he’s allowed. He pulls away slowly to look her in the face. River’s eyes are wide and surprised.

 

“Did you just…” And it seems even she can’t quite believe it because she doesn’t finish.

 

“Wife,” he smiles happily, “I just told you my name.”

 

“But-” She stops. Panics.

 

He must admit, it’s quite lovely to see her so speechless.

 

River gasps softly, realization of what he’s done still hard to grasp at. She swats his upper arm with a fond fury, “You nostalgic idiot, you shouldn’t have!”

 

“Oh, shut up.” His grin widens.

 

“But you can’t just do that!” She’s keeping to her protest. “You can’t just tell that to anyone!”

 

“Ah, but you see that’s where you’re wrong, River Song.”

 

“Doctor!” There’s a faint warmth coming from her, she’s slightly flushed as well. He then slowly realizes it’s because he’s told her she's wrong. Really, that’s just it. That’s all he can take. He’s had enough of playing nice.

 

“You’re not anyone.” He whispers it like it's another secret he's not supposed to tell before surging forward and quieting any other doubts she has with a kiss. A real one this time, not like the ones they’ve been getting to these past few dates. The quick press of lip against lip and nothing more. No, sir. Not this time.

 

This kiss is the one he gives to his wife, one stitched into the fabric of his time for centuries over by now. The one he lets linger and breathe, the kiss worth every single one of their unwanted plights. The one that he swears he can feel even several regenerations before he’d even met her. That maybe somewhere in his future (or past) she’s snogging the hell out of him and he fancies the idea that the aftershock is so intense time itself takes notice and echoes it back (or forwards) to him.

 

~~**_X_ ** ~~

 

River moves into their room than night. He’d glad. He really didn’t want to carry those books over to hers. 


	3. Rory

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The next Pond to learn his name was unexpected and really not in the order he’d have preferred.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I wanted angry/protective PapaBear!Rory and some clueless Doctor who needs River to point it out for him because he's kind of an idiot. Then I wanted the Doctor making amends with things once thought lost forever. And the Tardis helping River/Doctor sexytimez happen with more discretion and class, I wanted that too. In that direct order. Forgive any mistakes, it's like 4AM.

* * *

 

 

 

The next Pond to learn his name was unexpected and really not in the order he’d have preferred.

 

 

* * *

 

 

**_Rory_ **

 

The Doctor didn’t miss the fact that Rory had been staring daggers at him all throughout the day. In truth, he’d been avoiding the Last Centurion because of it. Something about the way Rory grit his teeth whilst the staring took place told the Doctor all he needed to know. The other man was very, very cross. Even Amy picked up on it. She snuck up close to him while Rory went to go fetch the three of them multi-colored scones in the Last Las Vegas goodie shop and asked for the inside info.

 

“What did you do this time, Raggedy Man?” Amy questioned with a raised brow.

 

The Doctor only shrugged and answered honestly. “I’ve no idea, Pond.”

 

“Did you put his favorite jumper in the wash again?” Amy wondered.

 

“That was _one_ time!” The Doctor cried out.

 

Amy only snickered and bumped her shoulder into his. “I’m only teasing so don’t get your big-boy panties in a twist. But if I were you, I’d fix it.”

 

She skipped away to help Rory with the scones. Probably to do some kissing.

 

It’s not that the Doctor minded but it did make him want for his own wife. He’d found kissing River was rather spectacular and sort of, dare he say it, _dirty_ if only for the reason that he and the wife couldn’t just have a snog without the in-laws bumping into them sooner or later. It’s like River thrived on pouncing at the most inconvenient moments simply in hopes to make him blush a shade darker than the last time.

 

He’s not the type to be embarrassed easily by a tiny bit of affection, or maybe he might be, but River wasn’t just a tiny bit of anything. His affections for her ran willingly in any and every direction. They continued in length and stretched on farther than he’d known possible. Those feelings of his reached the marking point of _Endless_ long ago and they just kept on keeping on. No _pause_ , no _stop_ , just a big green light that meant _go_.

 

“Green like your eyes.” The Doctor muttered to himself. “I bet you planned that one out too. You bad, bad girl.”

 

“ _Or_ ,” Rory’s sudden (and very rude) outburst startled him. The Doctor even jumped a bit from the plain fright.

 

When he turned he found the Ponds nearby, Rory apparently seething and Amy trying not to choke from laughing whilst eating her rainbow colored scone.

 

“Perhaps it runs in the family. Maybe she has green eyes because she’s my little girl and I’m her dad.” Rory continued, walking forward and pushing the Doctor’s own scone at him roughly. Rory’s own pair of green eyes were alight with a quiet fury. “And you, Doctor,” Rory poked at the Doctor’s chest, “You better watch yourself mate.”

 

Then Rory marched away, throwing his own scone aside angrily. Amy had stopped laughing.

 

“Oh, Doctor.” She said worriedly, “What did you do?”

 

“I really wish I knew, Amy. Truly, I do”

 

 

**_X_ **

 

 

“So,” River asked two days later, “What is it?”

 

“What’s what?” The Doctor replied, trying not to let his eyes linger on his wife for too long. Rory was watching.

 

“You’re obviously waiting to ask me something. I’m afraid your tireless fidgeting gives it away, sweetie. Well,” River smiles and moves closer until she’s beside him, “That and the fact that you’ve not touched me properly since I got here.”

 

“They’re right there.” The Doctor nodded towards her parents at the other end of the console yet did nothing to move away from the warm body pressing against him. “And your father…”

 

He didn’t even continue, shaking his head and pulling random levers. He squeaked when River quite suddenly cupped his buttocks and decided moving away from her would be in his best interest. He made for a quick escape beneath the console and pointedly busied himself with wires and technical things. It only took a small while to pass before River followed after him.

 

“My father is cross.” River acknowledged for him, “It’s never seemed to bother you before.”

 

The Doctor scowled, pulling down more wires to cover at his face. River sighed impatiently before leaning forward and onto the swing to move the wires aside again.

 

“This swing isn’t built for two, River.” He mumbled grumpily.

 

“Not yet.” River said, leaning in some more.

 

“ _River_.” He warned.

 

“ _Doctor_.” She mimicked.

 

The Doctor sighed and figured it useless to argue when she’s pressed against his legs, warm and alive and beautiful.

 

“What’s all of this _before_ business you mentioned?” He asks. “I don’t remember Rory being this mad at me. Not like this. Look at him, River, he wants to murder me or something.”

 

River chuckled, “You know, for a very bright man you really play the part of the idiot perfectly.”

 

“River!”

 

Her laughter was filled with glee.

 

“Doctor, my father has been angry with you before and for the very same reason.” River leaned in even closer and her lips brushed against his ear. She whispered his name and suddenly everything clicked. The only time River said his name aloud was in bed and if Rory had been wandering the halls a few nights ago…

 

“Oops.” The Doctor exhaled, instantly flushing from head to toe.

 

“Oops indeed, my love. There’s a whole bunch of Oops you have to make up for. I suggest you do something to make amends and quickly. I’d hate to have you chopped up to pieces by my father and his Centurion sword. He’s not used it in a long time but I doubt he’s forgotten how.” With that bit of advice, River pressed a kiss to his cheek before disentangling herself from the wires and walking back up the steps to join her parents.

 

 

**_X_ **

 

 

Rory was holding a blanket in his hands. A baby blanket. It smelled like baby blankets do, full of sick and needing of a wash. It was the blanket Melody had been wrapped in when she was born on Demon’s Run.

 

“You didn’t have to, you know.” Rory said.

 

“I know.” The Doctor emerged from where he’d been standing just out of the Centurion’s sight.

 

“Crossing your own timeline.” Rory said, sniffing the blanket again, “That’s one of those dangerous big no-no’s, isn’t it?”

 

“Only where the universe and it’s entire existence is concerned.” The Doctor answered.

 

“Did you see her?” Rory asked, “The Real her. Melody, I mean. Not the flesh avatar they switched her with before I got there.”

 

The Doctor took a deep breath and nodded. “I almost ran into myself.” He admitted. “Your daughter then, once again, insisted my bowtie was an atrocity.”

 

Rory laughed. “She’s not wrong.”

 

“Oi.” The Doctor said, though he too smiled in spite of himself. “I told her she was loved and that no matter where she was taken her father, mother, and I would find her. That nothing in this world or any other could ever stop us from getting her back.”

 

Rory attacked him then but only in a very tight hug.

 

“Thank you.”

 

The Doctor hugged Rory back. When the male Pond pulled away he had to wipe at some fallen tears. The Doctor sniffled a bit too.

 

“By the way,” Rory pointed at him, “Rubbish, _utterly_ rubbish name. Honestly, how can she pronounce that?!”

 

“Oi!” The Doctor said again but with more offense taken this time.

 

Rory only grinned. “Just, for the love of everything, Doctor, soundproof your room. For all of our sakes. If I have to hear you and my daughter at it one more time you’re going to have a new face come the morning after. Is that clear?”

 

The Doctor saluted him. “Warning received, Centurion. I’ll take care of it.”

 

“You’d better.” Rory said and shook his head somewhat warily before leaving to hide Melody’s blanket from Amy. She might not react to the Doctor going back to Demon’s Run and not doing anything to change their past as kindly.

 

 

**_X_ **

 

 

A new coding system was installed that night. Two words were to be said aloud in Old High Gallifreyan and whatever room was occupied it would instantly become soundproof.  For this command, the Tardis rewrote a signal that would only comply the command of two voices. The Doctor and River did the voice overs a couple of days later. The fact that the Tardis herself chose the words made River feel warm inside. The Old Girl was sharing her nicknames with the pair of them.

 

_“My Thief.”_ River said with perfect pronunciation. Hearing the language of his people spoken so well made him fill with all sorts of emotions. He followed with, “ _My Water.”_

**_X_ **

 

 

The new coding came in handy. Rory was never prone to overhearing their nightly activities again.


	4. Amy

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which Amy is the last to know and she's not happy about it.

**_Amy_ **

 

The four of them ended up in the kitchen area of the Tardis. The Doctor had been figuring out a way to tell his beloved Amelia in a way that didn't make her think she was last on his list (she'd have been second in line, obviously) but apparently Rory accidentally blabbed about knowing the Doctor’s name and Amy completely overreacted. She then declared the need of a family meeting dedicated to stating the injustice of it all. How the Doctor should have told Amy _and_ Rory at the same time and how this was all his fault. The Doctor looked to his wife for some help but River seemed to enjoy Amy's crucifixion of his poor choices when it came to familial priorities.

 

Rory and Amy sat beside each other, across from the Doctor, and River (instead of being at his side for moral support) stood between her parents.

 

“It’s not fair!” Amy complained loudly. “ _I’m_ supposed to be your best friend! When I thought I was pregnant I went and told you first, didn’t I? _Didn’t I_?!”

 

“In all fairness, that’s not necessarily a good thing.” River told her Mum. “Dad should have been number one on the priority list for that one.”

 

“Yes! Thank you!” Rory nodded fiercely, agreeing with his daughter and so grateful someone was finally on his side when it came to that subject. “I told her that! Didn’t I tell you that, Amy?”

 

“Oh, pipe down, Centurion!” Amy waved Rory’s argument away. “This is my pity party not yours.”

 

“In an act of defense to myself I didn’t exactly plan this!” the Doctor huffed. “If you do recall our little American adventure River mentioned being a screamer. We could have avoided this whole mess if only she’d specified her meaning.” He motioned River’s way. “This is obviously all her fault!”

 

River raised a brow at his accusation. It was a bit terrifying. “ _Excuse_ me?”

 

The Doctor hurried to divert from the wrath that comment would bring down on him.

 

“Oh, no, not that way dear. Promise. It’s not a bad thing,” He assured his wife. “ _Definitely_ not a bad thing. Rather good thing, I enjoy it very much.”

 

“Can we not bring your sex life with my daughter into this please?” Rory begged miserably and tried to wipe clean the many unwanted images being conjured up by those comments. “Else I won’t be held responsible for my actions if you keep on about it.”

 

River placed a sympathetic hand on her father’s shoulder and Rory looked up at her as if she were the most angelic thing in all the world.

 

“That’s not fair!” the Doctor cried, pointing to River. “She’s got a big part to play with that too you know! It’s not all my fault!”

 

“Of course it is!” Amy cut in and reached to take hold of River’s other hand. “Don’t you go bringing my River into this. You betrayed me, Raggedy Man. You betrayed me by letting me be the last to know.”

 

“He did, didn’t he?” River’s voice was soft and lovely and Amy was nodding up at her, gladly accepting the comforting tone and failing to see it for what it was.

 

Payback. 

 

“Don’t do that!” the Doctor reprimanded, intending to sound stern and stand his ground, and it would have, if only his scolding hadn’t ended with a despairing chuckle that lent no credibility to his cause whatsoever. Honestly, this was getting ridiculous.

 

“What am I doing?” River retorted, a wicked grin on her lips that both Amy and Rory were oblivious to.

 

“You’re getting back at me for what I said by turning both your parents against me.” He accused.

 

“No, my love, I’m afraid you do that all on your lonesome.” River retorted happily.

 

The absolute ridiculousness of this entire situation led a hopeless smile to spread across the Doctor’s face. Gods, there was no way he was getting out of this alive.

 

“ _River!_ ” 

 

“Oh, alright!” River pouted. “You take all the fun out of it. Mum, Dad, the Doctor has no true fault in this.” She told her parents. “He did it to protect you both. Knowing his name would bring you more danger than you could possibly imagine.”

 

“But what about you then?” Rory asked worriedly. “I don’t want you getting hurt out there.”

 

River smiled at her father sadly. “I was made into a weapon, remember? In this case that’s finally a good thing.”

 

“I never wanted any of you to get hurt.” The Doctor confessed quietly. "Some things are impossible to prevent. You can't always change what happens in the future. Now that you all know my name it’s just something else that will bring you more trouble than it's worth. I want you all safe. Especially from me.”

 

“Raggedy Man,” Amy frowned and moved to kneel before him. She took both of his hands in her own. “We’ll be fine.” She assured him. “We all will.”

 

The Doctor cupped Amy’s cheek gently and looked over to River, his wife, and he lied. “I know you will, Pond. I know you will.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This wasn't supposed to end with the angst. I don't know what went wrong or how this happened. I hope you enjoyed this final part anyway.


End file.
